1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint connector, in particular for use in an automotive wire harness.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, when an automotive wire harness is manufactured, first a wire harness subassembly is produced from a relatively small number of electric wires on a subassembly board, and then a complete wire harness is produced by combining a plurality of the wire harness subassemblies on a final assembly board. FIGS. 5 and 6 depict a conventional joint connector 3 used to make electrical connection between electric wires W that extend from wire harness subassemblies A, B, C. The joint connector 3 has a joint bus bar 2 with a plurality of terminal portions 2a.
The bus bar 2 is accommodated in a receptacle 1, into which a male connector 5 is to be inserted. The male connector 5 has a plurality of terminal insertion chambers 5a for accommodating terminal fittings 4. Each terminal fitting 4 is crimped to one end of the wire W, and fixedly inserted within the terminal insertion chamber 5a.When the male connector 5 is moved into engagement with the joint connector 3, the terminal fittings 4 contact the terminal portions 2a respectively to make electrical connection between the wires W.
The wires W have a wire W-1 that extends independently of the wire harness subassemblies A, B, C. The wire W-1 has one end connected to the connector 5 and the other end connected to a grounding terminal 6, thereby grounding the remaining wires W extending from the subassemblies A, B, C. Although the joint connector 3 of the above construction is used for the grounding connection, it would also be useful in other applications, e.g. where electrical connection is made merely between electrical circuits.
Wires W-2 that extend from the sub-assembly A are connected to both the male connector 5 and the joint connector 3 during subassembly. However, wires W-3, W-4 that extend from the sub-assemblies B, C are connected to the connector 5 subsequently on the final assembly board (not shown). The terminal fittings 4 as indicated by black circles in FIG. 6 are the ones which are subsequently connected to the connector 5 during final assembly.
The prior art joint connector as described above has the following problems.
First, the number of terminal fittings has to be assembled separately and subsequently on the final assembly board, thereby making the overall assembly process cumbersome.
Second, until the terminal fittings are assembled subsequently in the final assembly, they are exposed, hanging from the ends of the wires, which may result in damage to the fittings, or deformation thereof.
Third, each wire is terminated at one end by the terminal fitting, forming an electrical circuit, and has to be connected to the joint connector separately, thereby increasing the number of wires to be connected.
Fourth, terminating the wires with the terminal fittings; connecting them to the male connector; and connecting it to the joint connector is a very tedious and time-consuming operation, and increases the size of the joint connector as a whole.